ZimmNews – June 15, 2012

Hello ZimmComm Fans:
A big congratulations to the AgChat Foundation for Thursday’s Twive and Receive event. And a big thank you goes out to the 78 Twivers who gave a total of $6,830 in the one day event. The Foundation placed 12th on the list of hundreds of participating charities. This event was successful because of the highly motivated and active AgChat community of farmers and others involved in agribusiness. It wouldn’t have happened or been coordinated so well without the work of staff members Emily Zweber, Executive Director, and Jenny Schweigert, Communications Assistant!
The ZimmComm team has been enjoying a break from the agriblogging highway. New ZimmComm World Headquarters are becoming more settled and the team is busy making travel plans for a summer full of on the road action. Got us in your plans?
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Do you prefer corn sugar to high fructose corn syrup?” In what is a first for our poll, the response was split evenly! See the chart below.
Recently the FDA denied a request from the Corn Refiners Association to allow food labels to use the term corn sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. Nutritionally, there is no difference in regular table sugar and HFCS so we don’t see why FDA ruled like they did. Their reasoning had to do with their definition of sugar as a crystalline solid. This is basically a public relations war over words since the “problem” with either cane or corn sugar is how much someone consumes. Nothing wrong with cane sugar or corn sugar, regardless what you call it, in our opinion. We like them both. Apparently consumers like HFCS better according to this story. What do you think?
Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Does your business have an interest in Pinterest?” This online pinboard is now being used by political campaigns to target key demographics. Even President Obama’s wife is using it! Seems like there might be some good reason for agribusinesses, farm and food groups to start pinning away. What do you think?
Here are some interviews you might have missed this week:
• Christophe Pelletier, futurist, on future of farmers at BASF Ag Solutions Media Summit
• NPPC Director, Bill Luckey, on concerns about an egg bill
• BASF Crop Protection President Markus Heldt on new AgBalance study
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